Ire 3: Resurrected
by Stephanie18
Summary: *Finished!* Prequel to Ire. They all meet again, but somebody has changed.
1. The News

Ire 3: Resurrected   
  
  
Disclaimer: Yes, I own everything! Mr. Help The Boat Is Sinking just stole all of my ideas!! Ha ha ha ha! *Somebody slaps Stephanie upside the head* All right, all right! I don't own them. Mr. Help The Boat Is Sinking and Mr. Egg Man own Dark Angel. I own Theo though and I own that other character that I said I did before, Ire. Yeah, so...   
  
A/N: Prequel to Ire and Ire 2! Read those first or you will be ever so confused. I don't have a lot to say, but don't worry that will probably change. Honestly, I thought after my humorfics (which are still coming out by the way) I couldn't write serious again. I guess I proved myself wrong. So HA me! Wait...oh well, you can stop reading my ramblings now and just go to the story. Premiere didn't happen, so there.   
  
A/N 2: I like this one the best. I know I usually post these full, but I don't want to leave you guys hanging for long. So, I'll get what I have done so far up, then work work work! Pay no attention to this A/N if the whole fic is up. :p   
  
A/N 3: This story is dedicated to Barcode Chick and Zhaneel, the true Ire fans.   
  
  
Max silently closed the door to the apartment and crept into her room. If Original Cindy caught her, she would ask her all the same old questions that usually were phrased the same way: "Where were you? Hittin' it with Mister Money?"   
  
Max walked into her room and didn't even notice the figure sitting on the couch. Max changed into clothes she could sleep in, then walked back into the living room. She had forgotten something, but she couldn't place it.   
  
"Hello."   
  
Max jumped. She hadn't even noticed the guy sitting on the couch. She immediately went into fight mode, but he stood up and she relaxed.   
  
"Theo? What're you doing here?" Max asked.   
  
"I came to tell you something." Theo said.   
  
"I haven't seen you since..." Max said, her voice trailing. She didn't want to say it.   
  
"I know." Theo said. "But that's why I'm here."   
  
"Look, if you're here to refresh my memory, I can assure you, I don't need it. Trust me."   
  
"I'm not here for anything like that." Theo said.   
  
"Then what are you here for?" Max asked.   
  
"I'm here because of Ire." Theo said.   
  
"Stop it." Max said. "She's... she's dead."   
  
"No, she isn't." Theo said.   
  
"Why are you doing this?" Max asked.   
  
"I'm just telling you the truth." Theo said. "She's alive."   
  
"You're lying... you're lying!" Max screamed.   
  
"Boo?" Cindy's voice came, then Cindy walked into the room. "What's the screamin'? Who's here?"   
  
Max turned to Theo, but he was gone. The window was open and a small breeze was slightly blowing the curtains.   
  
"No - no one." Max said.   
  
"Are you okay?" Cindy asked.   
  
"I'm fine." Max said. Cindy looked like she didn't believe her. Max gave her a small smile. "I'm fine."   
  
"Whatever you say." Cindy said and went back to bed.   
  
Max waited until Cindy was asleep, then went to the window. She looked out and didn't see anyone. She shut the window after a few minutes and sat on the couch.   
  
Max decided that it must've been a dream. She would pinch herself, then she would wake up in her bed and Theo wouldn't have really come and Ire would still be... dead. Max pinched herself.   
  
"Damnit!" Max screamed, rubbing her arm where she pinched herself.   
  
"What was that?" Cindy mumbled from her bed.   
  
"Reality." Max answered.


	2. Destiny

When Theo had delivered the news to Max, he never thought he would have stumbled upon Ire's plan. It was a gruesome plan and he needed to stop her.  
  
Theo rushed through the woods, following Ire. He knew she was just up ahead. He wasn't quite sure what was wrong with her, but he knew it was Manticore related.  
  
Theo finally found Ire, but she wasn't alone. The sight made his stomach turn. Ire was standing over the dead body of White and there were at least six others dead around them.  
  
"Hello Theo." Ire said, looking up at him.  
  
"What have you done?" Theo asked, approaching her slowly.  
  
"I did what I wanted all along." Ire said. "They're dead."  
  
Theo walked closer and saw some of the guards had broken arms or legs and many had been shot, but White's neck had been snapped. Theo put a hand out to Ire, but thought better of it and put it on the back of his neck and looked around. He was speechless.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ire asked.  
  
"No, what's wrong with you?" Theo asked.  
  
"I'm fine." Ire said. "You know destiny?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Well, this is my destiny." Ire said.  
  
"Ire, it isn't -"  
  
"Oh, it is." Ire interrupted. "I was made to kill. It's my destiny. I'm good at it too. Not a scratch on me."  
  
"Ire, we can get you some help."  
  
"Help? I don't need help. I'm perfectly fine." Ire said. Theo looked into her eyes and noticed they were dead. There was nothing in her anymore.  
  
"Ire, just come with me and we can go see Max."  
  
"I don't want to see Max." Ire said.  
  
"Ire -"  
  
"Destiny."  
  
"What?" Theo asked.  
  
"Destiny." Ire repeated, louder.  
  
"I don't understand." Theo said.  
  
"Destiny!"  
  
"Ire -"  
  
"Destiny!"  
  
"What're you - ?"  
  
"Destiny!"  
  
"Ire!"  
  
"DESTINY!" Ire screamed and ran off into the woods.  
  
Theo knew it was no use to follow her. Theo looked around at the dead and vomited. He wiped his mouth and couldn't believe what his sister had done.  
  
Theo ran through the woods. He was heading back to Seattle. Ire was in serious trouble and needed to be stopped and helped.  
  
Theo hoped that maybe someone could help her.  
  
  
Ire stalked through the forest, knowing what she was going to do. She walked until dawn, when she finally set her eyes upon the house. She pulled a handgun out and held it tightly.  
  
'The wife and daughter are inside.' Ire thought as she walked to the front door. 'The wife and daughter are inside. The wife and daughter are inside. The wife and daughter are inside. The wife and daughter are inside.'  
  
Ire walked up to the front door and listened. She could hear someone pacing and small sobs. The wife and daughter. A new kind of rage took Ire over and she kicked the door down. The wife and daughter huddled together and Ire lifted the gun and shot. She kept shooting until the gun clicked. No more bullets.  
  
Ire took a long, ragged breath and snapped again. She walked throughout the house, smashing everything and destroying anything she could get her hands on. Once she destroyed the living room, she went to the desk in the corner and ripped the lock off. She rummaged through the drawer, then emptied all the bullets she found into her pockets and she picked up a pocket knife. She examined it, then put it in her jacket pocket.  
  
The defective reject XS was finally fulfilling her destiny. Or so Ire believed. 


	3. Files

Theo slumped against Logan's front door. He had been running all morning trying to get back to Seattle and there he was. Theo struggled to stand and knocked lightly on the door.  
  
"Theo?"  
  
"Logan, is - is Max here?" Theo asked. He was exhausted.  
  
"No, but I could call her." Logan said.  
  
"No, no. I'll go and... and get her." Theo said and tried to move forward, but Logan grabbed his arm.  
  
'Even genetically engineered soldiers get wiped out.' Logan thought and led Theo inside.  
  
"Water?" Logan asked. Theo only nodded. Logan walked into the kitchen and picked up the phone on the way. He dialed Max's number and waited.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Max, this is Logan. There's someone here who needs to talk to you."  
  
"Ire?" Max asked. Logan was surprised.  
  
"Why don't you just come down." Logan said. "Max? Max?" She had already hung up.  
  
Logan walked back into the living room. Theo was dozing on the couch, so Logan placed the glass of water on the table and went into the computer room. Max had mentioned Ire, so he decided he would check her files. Logan did some searching, then pulled up Ire's most recent file.  
  
  
XS-618  
a.k.a Ire  
  
9/28/19  
  
Testing : Recent Tryptophan doses. Electric therapy. Reprogramming. Experimental drugs.  
  
Notes : Excessive strength and increased heart rate due to the experimental drugs. Shift in mood evident and greater chance of defective outbursts.  
  
Treatments : Gunshot wound to the heart. Transplanted with X5-493 (a.k.a Ben)'s heart.  
  
Research : Two spinals. Unsuccessful cloning. Blood work. Multiple disease recovery testings. Minor DNA transfers.  
  
Status : Rejected.  
  
  
Logan heard the door close and looked at the doorway. Max was standing there, just looking at him.  
  
"What're you reading?" Max asked quietly.  
  
"Nothing." Logan lied and closed the file.  
  
"Who's here?" Max asked.  
  
"Theo. He's asleep on the couch." Logan told her. Max walked into the living room and Logan followed.  
  
"Theo." Max said. Theo's eyes fluttered open and he sat up.  
  
"Was I sleeping?" He asked groggily.  
  
"Yes." Max said. "Why did you need to talk to me?"  
  
Theo's eyes widened and he swung his feet over the edge of the couch and grabbed Max's arms. Max was a little surprised and alarmed.  
  
"She's killing people!" Theo said. "She's just killing! She's calling it destiny, but it isn't... they've done something to her! They've changed her! Max, I think she's gone insane!"  
  
"Who?" Max asked, even though she knew the answer.  
  
"Ire." Theo said. "They killed her spirit and something is so wrong with her Max..."  
  
"Ire.... Ire is killing people?" Max asked and sat down on the couch. She didn't trust her legs.  
  
"I saw it. I saw White's dead body next to her and there were..." Theo took a moment to collect himself. "There were at least six around her. Something is wrong with her."  
  
"You think Manticore did this?" Max asked. Theo only nodded, fighting the tears.  
  
"Is it possible that tests Manticore did could have affected her... a lot?" Logan asked.  
  
"Logan... what were you reading?" Max asked, standing up.  
  
"I didn't want you to see. It isn't pretty... but you've got to see it." Logan said and walked into the computer room.  
  
"Well thank you Mr. Vague." The mumbled as he and Max went into the computer room.  
  
Theo and Max got into the computer room and Logan pulled up Ire's file. Max and Theo both read it and stood there shocked.  
  
"DNA transfers?" Theo asked, snapping back. "Does it say whose DNA was transferred where?"  
  
"No, but I could probably search around and find it." Logan said.  
  
"Logan, you work on that." Max said. "That could be the reason why she's doing this... then again it may not. We'll just have to find out."  
  
  
Logan nodded slightly and began working on it. Max turned to Theo.  
  
"Where is she?" 


	4. Down So Long

Ire sat in the corner of the room, crying her eyes out. She was rocking back and forth slowly, with her knees tucked closely to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs.  
  
She didn't know how she had gotten there. She didn't even know where she was. She kept going from flashbacks to the real world and sometimes one of the flashbacks would come alive.  
  
***  
"Soldier, do you believe in destiny?" The general screamed at her.  
  
"Sir, no, sir!" Ire barked back. This was before she had a name, before she realized she could bring nothing but bad things.  
  
"Why not, soldier?" The general asked.  
  
"Destiny is no part of Manticore, sir." Ire said stiffly.  
  
"Wrong, soldier!" The general barked.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Destiny is a part of everything." The general said. "Manticore has a destiny. Your siblings have a destiny. You have a destiny!"  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Your destiny?"  
  
"Sir."  
  
"To kill! Your destiny is to kill!" The general screamed.  
***  
  
Ire cried harder. She would not believe it.  
  
"No!" Ire cried.  
  
'Kill for her... kill for her!' The nasty little voice inside her head hissed. Ever since she escaped the second time, the voice had haunted her. It was a male voice that she never heard before and it filled her mind of images of a strange Lady.  
  
"No!" Ire screamed louder. Ire could just *feel* the voice pushing another flashback. "No!"  
  
***  
Ire ran into the clearing and stopped dead in her tracks. White and six guards all stared at her smugly.  
  
"Ready to die, rogue freak?" White asked.  
  
"Bite me!" Ire screamed. White got a sour look on his face.  
  
"KILL HER!" He screamed angrily.  
  
The guards all raised their guns, but Ire moved quickly. She went to the first guard on her left, and snapped his neck and grabbed his gun all in one quick motion. She had shot the second guard twice before the first even fully hit the ground. She moved the third guard and broke his arm to stop him from firing, then used him as a shield to shoot the next guard. She then shot him in the head and moved in. She kicked and punched so hard that she knew she must have broken things along the way, and after a few more shots, the guards were all done.  
  
"Destiny is a part of everything." Ire repeated from memory and kicked the last guard. "Manticore has a destiny." Kick. "My siblings have a destiny." Kick. "I have a destiny."  
  
Ire turned to White her breathing was ragged and her eyes reflected so much rage. Ire went forward quickly and snapped his neck. White fell to the ground at her feet and she just looked at him.  
  
'Ding dong, Manticore is dead.'  
***  
  
"No!" Ire sobbed louder.  
  
'You loved it.' The voice hissed. 'Doing what you were made to....'  
  
"SHUT UP!" Ire screamed very loudly.  
  
***  
"Sir, we've got her." The guard said.  
  
"Good, bring her in." The scientist said. He was checking his clipboard, which had her medical files on it.  
  
Two more guards led a very angry Ire into the room.  
  
"God damnit! I'll kill all of you! Do you hear me?" She screamed as they strapped her down to the table.  
  
"Now, now." The scientist said and picked up a needle. "Don't be so harsh. This is all for the good of Manticore."  
  
"Yeah, if you're little friend hadn't blown the lab to bits, this wouldn't be happening." The guard said. The scientist threw him an annoyed look and he shut up.  
  
"This is going to hurt you a lot more than it is me." The scientist said and injected Ire with whatever was in the needle.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Ire spat.  
  
"Oh, just a little something to help us warp your DNA into something perfect." The scientist said and positioned a small overhead scanner over Ire's head. He then went to a computer on the other side of the room and began typing.  
  
"What's going on?" Ire asked.  
  
"Just directing the new DNA to its destination." The scientist said idly.  
  
"Where?" Ire asked.  
  
"Your brain."  
***  
  
Ire cried more and more and more violently rocked herself back and forth. This couldn't be happening. Manticore was evil. Totally and completely evil. She wasn't even sure what happened there, but she knew she was much worse.  
  
Ire wiped away her tears and stood up shakily. She blocked out the voice and pretended it didn't exist. Ire regained control and realized she was in someone's apartment.  
  
Ire walked around for a while until she saw a CD collection. Ire looked through the CDs and listened to a few, but none seemed right. Finally, she picked up the CD 'Spirit' by Jewel. Ire put it in the CD player and skipped to track five, "Down So Long." Ire listened for a while and decided she liked this song.  
  
*But I've been down so long  
Ooh, it can't be longer still  
I've been down so long   
that the end must be drawing near*  
  
Ire wished it was the end. It wasn't easy to live the way she was. She was confused constantly and sometimes she was so blinded by anger that she had no idea what she was doing.  
  
After the song was done, Ire put the CD back in its case and stuffed it in her jacket, then left the apartment.  
  
  
A/N: If you want the full lyrics to "Down So Long" just email me and ask. My email is CLOUD7842@aol.com Make sure the subject is something like 'Jewel lyrics' or 'Down So Long' or something. I don't want to accidently delete it. I don't own the song by the way, which you know... 


	5. It's A Gift

Max closed the door and threw her keys on the counter. She and Theo had searched for Ire all night, but they didn't have any luck finding her. The only one who really made progress that night was Logan; he had found out about the DNA transfers. Ire had some of Ben's DNA transferred and worked into her DNA make-up so that they could create a new perfect little soldier. Max didn't see it that way. Max knew they were asking for serious trouble when they mixed so much warped DNA.  
  
Max sighed and walked to her bedroom. She rummaged through her drawers looking for something to change into when she *felt* someone walk into her doorway.  
  
"Theo?" Max asked. She was a little afraid to turn around.  
  
"Guess again."  
  
Max turned slowly around. She was right. It was Ire. Ire was leaning against her doorway with her arms crossed.  
  
"Ire?"  
  
"You're getting a little slow." Ire said calmly. Ire was talking like she had just seen Max yesterday.  
  
"Are you okay?" Max asked.  
  
"Me? Oh, I'm fine." Ire said. "I've actually been a little worried about you."  
  
"About me?" Max asked, puzzled. "You were worried about me?"  
  
"Well, there are people out there... looking for you." Ire said.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Max asked.  
  
"Don't you see Lannie? It's trouble! Manticore is after you." Ire said. Max was confused and scared.  
  
"Ire, what's going on?"  
  
"Lannie, you've got to go! Renfro is coming and I just know she's on a shoot-to-kill mission!" Ire exclaimed.  
  
"Ire, what's wrong? Are you all right?"  
  
"Lannie, listen to me! Go! Run! Live!" Ire exclaimed.  
  
"I'm Max!"  
  
Ire just stared a while then closed her eyes and shook her head. When she looked at Max, she had tears in her eyes.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"This isn't a way to live." Ire said and took the CD from her jacket. She gave it to Max.  
  
"What's this?" Max asked, looking at the CD.  
  
"It's a gift." Ire said.  
  
Before Max could say anything, Ire rushed out of the room and out of the apartment. Max went to the window and looked out. She saw a blur, that must have been Ire, run down the street.  
  
Max turned the CD over in her hands and noticed a small note tucked inside the case. Max opened it and opened the note. It read:  
  
  
Me and my shadow  
Are wrestling again  
Look out stranger  
There's a dark cloud moving in  
  
But if you could hear  
The voice in my heart  
It would tell you  
I'm afraid I am alone  
  
Won't somebody please  
Hold me, release me  
Show me the meaning of mercy  
Let me loose  
Fly, let me fly  
Let me fly  
  
Super paranoid  
I'm blending, I'm blurring  
I'm bleeding  
Into the scenery  
  
  
Max closed the note and stuck it back in the case. She had no idea what it meant.  
  
Max walked absentmindedly to her dresser and grabbed her portable CD player. Max read the list of songs on the back of the CD case as she put the CD in. Max put on the headphones and put on track ten, "Barcelona".  
  
As she was listening to the song, Max realized that Ire had written down a few lyrics from the song.  
  
After the song was over, Max realized something was very wrong. Max shut off the CD player and rushed into the living room. Someone was already there, waiting for her.  
  
"You feel it too?"  
  
  
A/N: I'm not done yet. I'm working on this story right now. I will not rest until there is a big THE END in the last chapter. *Stephanie runs off to write the next chapter* 


	6. The Search Is On

A/N: Yay! Chapter six! Posting is possible again! Yaaaaaay! Well, I hope you enjoy. Next chapter coming real soon!  
  
  
  
Max was staring at Theo. There was a long silence and Max still said nothing. She only nodded.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Max finally spoke up.  
  
"You saw the file." Theo said. "Everything is wrong with her. All those experiments... Manticore changed her for the worst."  
  
"Is there any way at all that we can help her?" Max asked.  
  
"I don't know. I wasn't exactly trained in genetics and medication." Theo said. There was a little bitterness to his voice, like that maybe if had been trained that way, he could help.  
  
"What were you trained for... exactly?" Max asked. Theo didn't answer. He only looked away, waiting for Max to change the subject. "So, where is she?"  
  
"I have a vague idea." Theo said.  
  
"Just a vague one?"  
  
"Hey, I can't be expected to know where she is all the time!" Theo snapped.  
  
"What is with you?" Max asked.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Tell me." Max insisted. "We can't save her if you can't save yourself from whatever the hell is eating you alive."  
  
"She's eating me alive." Theo mumbled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's her!" Theo screamed. "Every time I try to be a brother to her, she says she has no siblings and she runs away! She hates me, damnit! That's why she never looks at me... she never thinks of me as a brother! I'm just God damned Theo! Not family... just Theo!"  
  
"That's not true." Max said quietly.  
  
"Really?" Theo said hotly. "Name one time you ever heard her say that she had family."  
  
"I..." Max stuttered. It was true. She had never heard Ire refer to her siblings as siblings. She never even mentioned them. It was like they were nothing but names to her.  
  
"Thought so." Theo said bitterly and sat on the couch, fuming. Max gave him a few minutes to calm down. They needed to find ire before she did anything rash.  
  
"We should go." Max said quietly. "We have to find her."  
  
"Yeah... yeah..." Theo mumbled then stood up.  
  
"So, where do you think she is?" Max asked.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Ire pinned the guy up against the wall and snarled at him.  
  
"Give me the pretty bullets... NOW!" Ire demanded.  
  
The man nodded as best he could, which was very hard because Ire was holding his throat. His face was turning read and beads of sweat were forming on his face. He choked to speak, but gave up. He reached into his pocket and spilled a small box of bullets on the floor.  
  
"There. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Ire said and threw him down. The man clutched his throat and greedily breathed in air, coughing once and again. Ire scooped up some bullets and examined them.  
  
"These are shells." Ire growled. The man only shook his head, he was too terrified to speak. "It isn't smart to try and screw someone over who can kill you."  
  
The man reached into his pocket and tossed a small box of bullets at Ire's feet. Ire bent down and opened the box. She pulled a full clip out and loaded her gun, then she threw the box behind her.  
  
"Nice doing business with you." Ire said and aimed the gun at the man's heart, then shot.  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Are you sure she's going to be here?" Max whispered to Theo.  
  
"Most likely." Theo whispered back. "She's going to need a refill."  
  
Theo signaled Max to be quiet, then pulled a gun from his jacket. Max's eyes widened, but she had no time to object. Theo kicked the door down and stormed inside. After seeing nothing, he put the gun back in his jacket and walked forward. He walked to the dead man and looked down at him.  
  
"Is he?" Max asked.  
  
"He's dead." Theo said.  
  
"How did... why?" Max got out.  
  
Theo bent down and picked up one of the empty shells.  
  
"Over bullets." Theo said and dropped the shell. Then he stood up. "He's dead over bullets."  
  
"Where is she now?" Max asked.  
  
"She could be anywhere." Theo said.  
  
"Well, where would she most likely go?"  
  
"I don't know." Theo said. Max put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Think like a brother. It'll help." Max told him.  
  
"I got it." Theo said.  
  
  
Max and Theo walked through the hallway of the abandoned apartment building. The only people that lived there now were homeless people and some stray animals occupied the place too.  
  
"Are you sure she's going to be here?" Max asked as they climbed the stairs.  
  
"I'm almost certain." Theo said.  
  
"Why is this one different from the other buildings we were in?" Max asked.  
  
"Well, this one will have Ire in it." Theo said.  
  
They reached the landing of the stairs that led to the floor they needed. Theo turned the knob, but it was locked. He slammed against it, but he didn't have any luck.  
  
"Let me." Max said and pushed past Theo, then kicked the door down; it went flying forward.  
  
"You pack a punch."  
  
"I try."  
  
Max and Theo stepped into the eerily quiet hallway and perked up their ears. Down the hall they heard a few murmurs and footsteps. They walked down and got to the apartment.  
  
"Ready?" Max asked. Theo nodded and Max kicked the door open. 


	7. Rejected

A/N: Phew! Finally! I can upload! Yay! Anyway, this chapter is some stuff alright. Anyway, the enxt chapter will be up real soon. Enjoy!   
  
  
  
Max and Theo stood in the doorway and watched Ire pace. She was mumbling and wringing her hands. Max and Theo slowly and cautiously walked inside.   
  
"Ire." Max said gently.   
  
Ire's whole body snapped like a whip and she looked at both of them. She got on her knees and walked over to Max.   
  
"Lannie! Did they find you? Are you all right?" Ire asked.   
  
"I'm Max."   
  
Ire turned to Theo.   
  
"Gavin, how are you? Did you make it past the fence alright?" Ire asked.   
  
"Ire, please." Theo begged. Ire stood and began pacing again.   
  
"You know Rain, you've got to stop eating like you do. They'll throw you to the nomalies one of these days for it." Ire said.   
  
"Ire, Rain isn't here." Theo said.   
  
"Trina, did you ever figure out those puzzles? They were hard, but you've gotta try." Ire rambled. She wasn't even looking at Max or Theo, she was just pacing back and forth, talking to herself and talking to people who weren't there.   
  
"Ire, please. Snap out of it." Max begged.   
  
"Did they ever fix your spine Frankie? It looked like it hurt." Ire said, still ignoring Max and Theo. Theo had enough and walked forward. He grabbed Ire by the arms and shook her.   
  
"Ire!" he screamed. "Ire! Snap out of this!"   
  
Ire just blinked and stared at him. It was as if everyone was frozen because none of them moved at all.   
  
"570184071618." Ire said.   
  
"What?" Max asked.   
  
"It's her barcode number." Theo said and walked away from Ire."   
  
"685371937916." Ire said.   
  
"That's my barcode number." Theo said and leaned against the wall. He wiped his eyes and looked at the ceiling.   
  
"945846251729." Ire said.   
  
"Frankie." Theo said.   
  
"849595905494." Ire said.   
  
"Trina." Theo said.   
  
"283403938484." Ire said.   
  
"Rain." Theo said.   
  
Max looked from Ire to Theo. They were both in a trancelike state, Ire spouting out numbers and Theo spouting out names.   
  
"394948547869." Ire said.   
  
"Gavin." Theo said.   
  
"628483929548." Ire said.   
  
"Lannie." Theo said.   
  
"Enough!" Max exclaimed.   
  
Theo and Ire both looked at her. Max felt very uncomfortable.   
  
"Look Ire," Max said, looking at Ire. "You've got to get better. If not for yourself, for me. For Theo."   
  
"He says I'm fine." Ire said.   
  
"Who says your fine?" Max asked. "Who is he?"   
  
"Ben." Ire said and began rocking back and forth on her heels.   
  
"Ben?" Max asked quietly.   
  
"Ever since I had my operation and the DNA transfers, I heard a voice. He said he was Ben. I didn't talk to him long. They gave me pills and he went away." Ire said.   
  
"Why is he... why is Ben back?" Max asked.   
  
"I escaped and didn't have any pills." Ire said. "He came back and taught me destiny."   
  
"Taught you destiny?" Max asked. Max heard Theo groan and slide down the wall.   
  
"Yes, he taught me that the destiny of all Manticore-borns was to kill." Ire said. "I don't like it, but I get mad and then when I get really mad, Ben will talk to me and well... you know my anger."   
  
"It blinds you." Max said quietly.   
  
"Yep, I lose control." Ire said.   
  
"Ire -" Max started, but Ire interrupted her.   
  
"570184071618."   
  
"Help her." Theo begged from the corner. Max turned and looked at him. "I can't do it. I'm just Theo."   
  
"Theo, stop it!" Max exclaimed. "You need to help me help her!"   
  
"Stop fighting!" Ire said and covered her ears. "You're making me sad!"   
  
"We're sorry, we're sorry." Max said soothingly.   
  
"570184071618."   
  
"Ire, we want to help you. Please, come back to us." Max begged.   
  
"XS-618."   
  
"Ire..." Theo said quietly from the corner.   
  
"XS-618, do you believe in destiny?" Ire asked. She was reliving a memory.   
  
"Ire, please." Max begged.   
  
"I believe in destiny now sir." Ire said and pulled her gun out from her jacket.   
  
"Ire, what are you doing?" Theo asked and stood up, then walked over near Max.   
  
"Destiny." Ire said and put the gun to her temple.   
  
"Ire, please, don't do it." Max said, tears in her eyes.   
  
"Ire, I'm your brother. I care for you. Max is your friend, she cares for you." Theo said.   
  
"Please Ire... please..." Max begged.   
  
"XS-618. Rejected." Ire said.   
  
Then Ire pulled the trigger.


	8. A Nightmare and A Funeral

***   
"IRE!" Max screamed and rushed forward. Theo was a second behind her. Max cradled Ire in her arms like she did Ben and Theo just kneeled and stared at his sister.   
  
"Why?" Max asked, crying. "Why?"   
  
"I don't know." Theo said.   
  
"This only proves there is no God." Max said.   
  
"No, it only proves that God makes mistakes." Theo said.   
  
"What do you mean?" Max said. "Look at her!"   
  
"God made a mistake! He let her get captured! God wasn't paying attention!" Theo said.   
  
"She's gone... why? She can't really be gone... things weren't supposed to happen this way!" Max cried.   
  
"I know." Theo said. He had begun to cry himself. "She was supposed to live forever. Not this way."   
  
Max and Theo elapsed into silence. The only sounds were Max's escaping sobs. Theo was crying silently. Max looked down at ire and Ire opened her eyes.   
  
"You didn't save me Max." Ire said. "I blame you. I hate you."   
***   
  
"No!" Max screamed and bolted upright. Max was breathing heavily and she was in a cold sweat. Max shook off the nightmare and walked into the living room. She sat on the couch with her head in her hands.   
  
It was almost dawn. Max liked not having to sleep for this exact reason. The nightmares would always get to her. Especially the ones like that one.   
  
"Boo."   
  
Max looked up.   
  
"Hey."   
  
"Boo, what happened?" Cindy asked and sat down next to Max.   
  
"A nightmare." Max said.   
  
"Everyone's got nightmares, boo."   
  
"Not like this." Max said.   
  
"What happened?" Cindy asked.   
  
"You know how I told you about Ire and... and everything?" Max said. Cindy nodded. "Well, I relived her death exactly as it was, but the end. The end changed. She opened her dead eyes and looked straight at me. She blamed me, then she said she hated me."   
  
"Boo, from the stories you told Original Cindy, Original Cindy knows that Ire would never say that."   
  
"Yeah, but it seemed so real." Max said.   
  
"Boo, the funeral is in a couple of hours, so I suggest you make peace with yourself, your dreams, and her." Original Cindy said. "Something will happen to prove that dream wrong."   
  
Max only smiled and Original Cindy smiled back. Original Cindy touched the back of Max's head in a reassuring way, then went back to bed. Max sat on the couch, thinking.   
  
  
***   
  
  
"Ire was the kind of person who let everybody inside." Theo said to the small crowd. "No matter what, she would let you become a part of her life. Sister, brother, or friend, she would let you in."   
  
Theo paused and looked around the small crowd. Max only recognized a few people there. She figured the rest must have been her family or friends Ire had made along the way.   
  
"Bad things happen to good people." Theo continued. "Never has that been more true to me. Ire was one of the best people I knew and something terrible happened to her for no reason whatsoever. Ire was my sister. I know she never said it, or even said 'I love you', but in her heart... it was in her heart. Ire, I love you and I miss you."   
  
Theo stepped back into the crowd and Max took a breath. Logan gave her an encouraging look and Max stepped forward.   
  
"Ire helped me more than once." Max said. "The first thoughts I had were 'Why couldn't I help her?' It didn't seem right. I had cheated death so many times, so why couldn't she? Everything happens for a reason. That bothers me, because there was no reason for this. I know many people say that, but truly, there was no reason. Ire was one of the good ones. There are so many things I want and need to say, but I couldn't possibly put them all into words. Ire, you're in the Good Place now, and I hope you're free from pain and happy."   
  
Max walked back over to Logan and a blonde girl walked up next. Max zoned out and wasn't even listening. She vaguely heard the girl speak, but the emotion that was building up inside of her was too much for her to take, so she blocked a lot of it out. Max came out of her stupor when she heard the girl say she was going to let Theo recite something. Theo walked up and Max paid close attention.   
  
"Ire had given me a one song CD a few months ago and I knew what it meant to her." Theo said. "The song touched her soul and it frankly touched mine as well. It goes back to the childhood that we never had. I'm going to read the part that really touched me and I'm sure, touched Ire."   
  
Theo reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He unfolded it and cleared his throat. Then he read:   
  
"I thought I could hear your cold words   
After all, they were just words   
I thought I could see your sad eyes   
After all, eyes won't lie   
  
I thought that I could just take this hatred in   
Let it back out and see love again   
But know I'm giving up   
But I'm never giving in   
  
So you can take my life   
And you can keep this heart   
But you never can take my soul   
No never can take my soul."   
  
Theo folded the paper back up and put it in his pocket. Theo walked sadly over to the blonde girl and a priest walked in front of the cloud. He did the ending ceremony, but Max wasn't listening. She was replaying Theo's words in her head.   
  
The thing that pulled her out of her trance was Logan gently tugging on her arm and telling her it was over.


	9. Good Place

It had been two weeks and Max gave in to sleep. The nightmare wasn't showing tonight, but something was.   
  
Max looked around her. The mist and fog was unbelievably thick. Max tried to walk through it, but it was impossible. Max began to panic, but there was a whisper and she felt at peace.   
  
Max waited and a light broke through the fog. Max strained her eyes to see what was going on, but she couldn't. The whisper happened again and Max relaxed. Suddenly, a figure in long, white robes came forward and Max gasped.   
  
"Ire?" Max asked. Ire smiled.   
  
"It's me, Max." Ire said.   
  
"What's going on? This definitely isn't the nightmare." Max said.   
  
"Of course it isn't." Ire said. "I wouldn't let that happen."   
  
"Is this a dream?" Max asked.   
  
"Well, I can't tell you that." Ire said.   
  
"Why?"   
  
"I'm not allowed."   
  
"All right." Max said. "So, why have you decided to grace my dreams... or undreams with your presence?"   
  
"To let you know that I don't blame you in the slightest." Ire said. "So you shouldn't blame your self either."   
  
"I'll stop blaming myself if you come back."   
  
"Sorry, but that can't happen."   
  
"It was worth a shot." Max said.   
  
"Yes, I suppose it was." Ire said.   
  
"So, are you all right?" Max asked.   
  
"I am now." Ire said. "I'm in the Good Place with my family and friends."   
  
"You called them family..."   
  
"That's something I've learned to deal with." Ire said. "I can even say 'I love you.' I realized, they are my family. I realized it too late unfortunately."   
  
"At least you realized it." Max said.   
  
"That's another thing." Ire said. "Maybe you need to take a page from my book and learn to say it."   
  
"I can say it." Max argued.   
  
"That's not what I'm talking about." Ire said.   
  
"Care to expand?" Max asked.   
  
"I can't." Ire said. "I can only say so much."   
  
"Okay."   
  
"Anyway, the main reason for me talking to you is to let you know that I do not blame you and I certainly do not hate you." Ire said.   
  
"But I didn't save you..." Max trailed.   
  
"No, you didn't." Ire said. It stung Max a little. "But that's the way it was supposed to happen."   
  
"I don't get it." Max said.   
  
"Max, if my life didn't end the way it did, my life would have dragged on and on." Ire said. "I would've become a shell of my former person."   
  
"But you seemed in so much pain..." Max said.   
  
"I won't lie to you." Ire said. "I was in so much pain... it was horrible. It hurt so bad. And when I killed, I hated myself. I always hated killing. The pain ended as soon as I decided to end it."   
  
They both stayed there in a comfortable silence until Ire began to dim.   
  
"What's happening?" Max asked.   
  
"I have to go back to the Good Place." Ire said.   
  
"But Ire -"   
  
"Don't worry, I'm in the Good Place now." Ire's voice echoed. The light faded and Max was back in the fog and mist.   
  
"Ire!" Max yelled. "Ire! Ire! Come back!"   
  
Max felt the world swirl around her, then with a rush, her eyes opened.   
  
Max got out of bed and threw on some clothes. It was time for a trip to the Space Needle.


	10. Musings

*Max's PoV*   
  
  
  
  
So, this is life. It really, really sucks. Yes world, life sucks. People get sick, people get hurt, and... people die. Good people die. They die for no reason and that bothers me.   
  
Ire died for no reason. I know what she told me, but still. It's hard just leaving her behind. She helped me, but I couldn't help her. How unfair is that? Very.   
  
The time I couldn't help her ends up in her being six feet under and me being about a thousand feet up. Life isn't fair and you can't buy a new one, so why bother? If they can put 'Girls kick ass' on a t-shirt, why can't they make a 'Life isn't fair. You invest a lot in it and get crap in exchange' one? That would be more true to the truth.   
  
I'll probably never see Theo again. I thought maybe he would swing by and take a visit after the funeral, but he didn't. He was a good guy and I'm gonna miss him. I wonder if Ire visited him too. I wonder if he had an undream dream like mine.   
  
Ire kinda confused me though. What did she mean that I needed to take a page from her book and learn to say 'I love you'? One day I'll figure that out, and when I do, watch out world.   
  
Now I know that things really do happen for a reason... even if that reason makes no sense and is totally lost upon me. Whatever. Lesson learned... or something like that.   
  
At least Ire is out of pain and in the Good Place. I find it ironic that the good brother who spoke of the Place somehow wormed his way inside Ire's mind and warped it into a duplicate of his. Kill kill kill. Right Ben? Wrong. Ire knew that. Ire knew destiny was something, but not that.   
  
Destiny is something one can make for themselves... if they're lucky. Sometimes destiny is shoved down your throat and you've either gotta take it or die trying to fight it. Ire died fighting a destiny that wasn't even hers. She was my friend and I think I am going to take a page from her book.   
  
I love.   
  
  
THE END   
  
A/N: The story is now dedicated to Barcode Chick and Zhaneel, the true Ire fans. This note is also going to be in the first chapter.


End file.
